Multistage control device for power driven vehicles including a plurality of prime movers



ER 2,190,534 0R POWER DRIVEN VEHICLES Y 0F PRIME MOVERS Feb. 13,1940. H.NYFFENEGG MUL'I'ISTAGE CONTROL DEVICE F INCLUDING A PLURALIT Filed Oct.5, 1938 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

fIZW/ZZZ/P Feb. 13, 1940. NYFFENEGGER 2,190,534 MULTISTAGE CONTROL.DEVICE FoR'PowER DRIVEN VEHICLES INCLUDING A PLURALITY OF PRIME MOVERSFiled Oct. 5, 1938 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Eye/22hr I Q/WWWW AW X Z PatentedFeb. 13, 1940 OFFICE MULTISTAGE CONTROUDEVIGE Eon POW- Ea" DRIVENVEHICLESv INCLUDING VA. PLURALITY F PRIME ov as Hans Nyfienegger,Winterthur, Switzerland, assignor to Schweizerische LokomotivundMaschinenfabrik, Winterthur, Switzerland c Application October 3, 1938,Serial No. 233,10;

- In Germany October 7, 1937 7 Claims.

This invention relates to multistagecontrol devices for power drivenvehicles including a plu rality of prime movers. v v

I The vehicle comprises driving axles'each of which or groups of whichare driven by one or more prime 'movers the pressure fluid admission ofwhich-can be controlled in steps.

The control may, for example, be effected, as

10 by means of adisplaceable control shaftcarrying stepped cams. Incontrol devices of this kind the number of control stages is obviouslylimited due to the space requirement for shifting the cam shaft. Thisholds true to a particularly great extent for thecontrol stages fordriving backwards for which in these circumstances it is usual toprovide, for example, only two control stages. In the operation, a steamcontrol which can be varied in steps only is liable to have a,disturbing effect for the reason that the tractive effort, for example,of a locomotive may prove to either be too great or too small formaintaining the desired speed of driving;'when a certain control stageor the next lower stage, respectively,

is used, so that in such casethe driving must be continued with thegreater steam admission and throttling of the steam by means ofthethrottle.

In vehicles having no preferreddirection of driving and in which thenumber of control stages for driving backwards is increased at theexpense of the number of stages for drivingforwardsthis deficiency isparticularly inconveniencing. But alsoduring starting, the small numberof available control stages is unsatistfactory. This de- '1 ficiencycould be moderatedby increasing the number of control stages but, asexplained above, this is impracticable on account ofwant of space. Theobject of the invention is to improve the finenessof gradation ofmultistage control of the tractive effort Without resorting tovexpedients such as throttling the pressure fluid supply to the primemovers, and varying the number of stepped cams. This is accomplished,according to the invention, by the provision that. the control devicesof individual prime movers or groups of such engines are renderedadjustable to different control stages of pressure fluid admission atthe same time. t

Since for each control stage 0t steam admission or cut-off any steamprime mover produces a uniform tractive effort, within a speed range ofan adequate extent, in an arrangement, according to the invention,comprising a, plurality of such ;'5 engines a hi ly n armand, fin l stpe? device shown in Fig. 1, and

I axially shifted by an auxiliary pressure controlled v piston 13,through the intermediary of a coupling "1, in order to providecooperation of either one a or; the cams O, I, II with the valve guideroller 4,

trol of the tractive-effort can be obtained by summation of individualtractive efforts. f A form'of the invention is illustrated in theaccompanying drawings by way of example only,

in which I 5 Fig, 1 is a schematic view of the control devices of twosteam engines included in a loco- .motive; I disclosed in United StatesPatent No. 1,634,736 ;;intermediate position; ,10

Fig. 2 is a view of .controlparts of Fig. 1 in an Figs. 3 and 4 eachrepresent a view of a different form of control parts;

Figs fi and fi-illustrate diagrammatically the tractive efforts producedwithout and with the aid of the inventiomrespectively; 15

Figs. '7 and 8 each indicate diagrammatically a ,difierent controldevice for steam locomotives including a plurality of steam engines;

Fig. 9 illustrates a modification of the control.

20 Fig. 10.is a view of the assembled partsof a steam admission controldevice according to the invention. I

, i As shown in Fig. 1, inlet valves I and 2 of steam cylinders, one ofwhich is shown at C, in Fig. 10, of two steam engines operativelyconnected with the axles of the vehicle to be driven (not shown) areadjusted by control shafts 3 by "meansof guide rollers 4 for admittingsteam to the cylinders C in the direction of the arrows A, *B (Figs. 1,10).

Each control shaft carries cams O, I, II corresponding tothree difierentsteam cut-offs. The control shaft 3 is displaceably arranged in bearings5 so as to be adapted to be Ila as desired. Driving movement istransniitted to the control shaft 3, via a gear wheel 3a, and

cooperating gearing means, from the crank shaft of the steam engine, ina manner not shown.

The auxiliary piston B is controlled by apiston valve 8 in a mannerknown per se by supplying a;-,

pressure medium through pipes 9' or 9" respectively to either one of theend faces of the auxiliary'piston 6. The piston valve in turn isinfiuencedstep by step by stepped slide members I4, Maby means ofapusher I2 which is pivotally g connected to a resetting'lever II, at I0,and provided with a guide roller I3 o'rI3a. "The two stepped slidemembers l4, I la for adjusting the valves I, 2, respectively, of thecylinders of the cas n s arefirmlymnne tedpneiri w the other and areoperated from a setting lever In Fig. 1 the two rollers I3, I3a areshown to be set on corresponding control stages I of the slide membersI4, Ma. Accordingly each of the cam shafts 3 of the associated auxiliarypistons 6 are adjusted into corresponding. .positions in which thecorresponding cams I of the two cam shafts 3 cooperate with the valvesI, 2, respectively. Thus both engines operate with equal steamadmissions.

On close inspection of Fig. 1', 'it will be seen that although therollers I3, I3a controlling the two engines, respectively, are set tothe same stage I of the associated slide members, one of the rollers I3rests against the right section of stage I of the slide member I4,whereas the other roller I3a rests against the left section of stage Iof the other slide member Ma at a distance a from a point correspondingto the point of the rightsection of the same stage of slide I4 at whichroller I3 is positioned. r g

. Therefore, the stepped slide member Ida is displacedrelative to theassociated pusher I'3a for a distance 1 o X 2a Thus, when the slidemembers I4, Ma are con- 1 jointly displaced to the left by the lever I5for a distance a, the roller I3 of the-rollers I3, I3a is set on stageII, whereas the other roller I3a remains on stage I, as before, bymerely shifting to the other'section of this stage, as shown in Fig.

2. If, thereupon, the control movement is continued for a further step athe other roller I3a is also raised onto the higher step II.

' In the position of the parts 'of the control device shown in.Fig. 1,both engines operate by means of the same steam cut-off; in the positionshown in Fig. 2 the valve I is set for admitting a different, forexample, a smaller amount of steam than valve 2. In the third, that is,the last-named position, in which both rollers I3, I3a are raised ontostage II, both valves are again set-for admitting an equal, but in thepres- .ent instance, smaller amount of steam. From this it follows thatin the position shown in Fig. 2 an intermediate stage of tractive effortis provided, so that in an arrangement, according to the invention, agreater number of control stages for setting the tractive effort, thatis, a finer gradation of. the tractive effort can be obtained. Thesedifferent gradations are illustrated in the diagrams represented inFigs. 5 and 6.

In Fig. 5 are illustrated the control stages of tractive efiort of alocomotive with two steam engines both .of the five-stage controldevices of which are always set to the corresponding steam cut-offs. Byplotting the tractive efforts on the ordinate and the positions of thestepped slide members on the abscissa, the stepped line shown in Fig. 5is obtained according to which along each stretch 2a the tractiveeffort, for example Zn of the locomotive is constant. On the other hand,by constructing the control device as shown in Figs. 1 and 2 a morefinely graded stepped line, as shown in Fig. 6 is obtained, due to thefact that in a position as indicated in Fig. 2 a ftu'ther tractiveeffort equal to the mean value of the tractive efforts Z1, Zn of thestages I, II, respectively, is obtained which amounts to ZLIII=Therefore, additional intermediate stages of tracbe obtained.

bracket ers cab, and intervening ample, by means of couplings I9.

tive effort are obtained between the main stages of tractive effort.

It will be readily seen that in this way, for example, in a locomotiveor power rail vehicle including a relatively great number of steamengines a very fine gradation of tractive effort can If, for example,six steam engines are present, as schematically indicated in Fig. 7, adouble amount of control stages of tractive v effort is obtained if, forexample, the group of steam engines designated by b, on the one hand,and that designated by c, on the other hand, have admitted thereto thesame volume of steam at each time. By admitting different volumes ofsteam to the two groups an additional intermediate control stage oftractive effort is ob tained. If each group is provided with fivecontrol stages, ten different control stages to which the tractiveeffort can be adjusted are obtained, according to the invention.

With another arrangement of groups of steam engines operating with thesame volume of steam admission at a time, for example, an arrangement ofthree pairs of engines, as shown in Fig. 8, fifteen control stages towhich the tractive effort can be adjusted are obtainable by admittingthe same volume of steam'at a time to the steam engines designated bythe same characters b, c or d. In this case, one or more pairs ofengines can be run with the same vol- 7 ume of steam admission and theremaining pairs .steam engines individually with different volumes ofsteam admission instead of in groups. In this, way, between each twomain control stages of tractive effort a maximum of five intermediatestages is obtainable.

Alternatively, instead of controlling the slide members It, Maand therollers I3, lta by means of a linkage I 5, I 5a, as shown in Figs. 1 and2, this can be effected by means including a slide member'in the form ofa screw nut I l provided with a longitudinal slot I4" (Fig. 3). Thismember is screwed to a spindle If on which it is secured againstrelative rotation by a stud It" on a l6 interengaging with the slot M.The spindle II, which is mounted in bearings I6, is rotatable by meansof any suitable means, for example, by a handwheel 22, located at thedrivbevel wheel drives it. The spindles I! of the control devices of thevarious steam engines are coupled together, for ex- Obviously the mustbe so adjusted relative to the spindles that the staggered relationthereof as indicated in Figs. 1 and 21s obtained.

Alternatively, the control of the rollers I3 may slide members It beeffected through the intermediary of a stepped ference between theeffects of two consecutive control stages.

The adjustment of the sections of the control device leading to thevarious engines or groups of engines is eifected by means of a singleset-v ting lever or by means of a control handwheel utive main cut-offstages, and a single adjusting driven thereby, prime mover such as 22.Instead ofeffecting thecontrol of, each steam engine by means of aseparate auxiliary. pressure controlled piston a single piston of thiskind may be used for adjusting the cam shafts of a whole group ofengines, as shown in Fig. 9. p

Various changes and modifications may .be made in the practice of myinvention, without departing from the principle or spirit thereof, byadding customary practice and established knowledge of the art to andthe scope of the appended claims is not to be regarded as limited exceptas specified therein. I claim: i

1. In a multistage control deviceicr power. driven vehicles including aplurality of pressure f fluid operated prime movers and driving axlesdriven thereby prime mover units includingat least one prime mover,individual control means correlated to each of said units foradjusting-the pressure fluid admission of each prime mover included inthe respective unit in steps of consecutive main cut-01f stages, andmeans for commonly adjusting said individual control means of all ofsaid units for a non-intermissive tractive effort of the vehicle byshifting said individual control means across coordinated main cut-offstages for unidirectional movement of said units, in relativelystaggered relation, for obtaining intermediate cut-01f stages of thedevice between the main cut-off stages of said units.

2. In a multistage control device for power driven vehicles including aplurality of pressure fluid operated prime movers and driving axlesunitsincluding at least one prime mover, individual control meanscorrelated to each of said units for adjusting the.

pressure fluid admission of each prime mover included in the respectiveunit in steps of consecmember common to said individual control meansfor adjusting said individual control means of.

all of said units for a non-interm'issive traction effort of the vehicleby shifting said individual control means across coordinatedmain-cut-off said units,

stages for unidirectional movement of in relatively staggered relation,for obtaining intermediate cut-off stages of the device between the maincut-off stages of said units.

3. In a multistage control device for power driven vehicles including a.pluralityof pressure fluid operated prime movers and driving axlesdriven thereby, primemoverfiunits including at least one prime mover,control means correlated to each of said units for adjusting thepressure fluid admissionof each prime mover included in the respectiveunit, pressure controlled piston means includedin at least some of'saidcontrol means for the present disclosure.

cut-offs regarding different units.

4.111 a multistage control device for power driven vehicles including aplurality of pressure fluid operated prime movers and driving axlesdriven thereby, prime .mover units including at least one prime mover,control means correlated .to each of said units for adjustingthepressure fluid admission of each prime mover included in the respective'unit, pressure controlled piston means included in at least some ofsaid control means for controlling the same, control slides associatedwith said pistdn means, stepped members for controlling said controlslides, a single adjusting member common to said control means andoperatively connected, with each of said stepped members for impartingsaid members a which is changed to a continuous movement steppedmovement by said members for accordingly controlling said slides for thelatter to ad just said control means to difierent fluid cut-offsregarding different units.

5. In a multistage control device for power driven vehicles including aplurality of pressure fluid operated prime movers and driving axlesdriventhereby, at least two prime mover units each including a likenumber of prime movers,

separate control means correlated to each of said units, stepped membershaving an equal number of stepsincluded in each of said control meansfor adapting said means to adjust the'pressure fluid admission to equalvolumes at a time for all said prime movers in said units, and means foradjusting said control means to different fluid cut-oifs regardingdifferent units.

6. In a multistage control device for power driven vehicles including aplurality of pressure fluid operatedprime movers and driving axlesdriven thereby, pairs of prime movers associated with an individualdriving axle of the vehicle, one

of said prime movers of each of saidpairs includedin a unit of primemovers and theother one ofsaid prime movers of each of said pairsincluded in a second unit of prime movers, and

control means correlated to each of said units for adjusting thepressure fluid admission to equal volumes at a time for all said primemovers in said units, and means for adjusting said control means todiiferent fluid cut-offs regarding diiferent units.

7. In a multistage control device for power driven vehicles including aplurality of pressure fluid operated prime movers and driving axlesdriven thereby, prime mover units including at least one prime mover,control means correlated to each of said units for adjusting thepressure fluid admission of each prime mover included in the respectiveunit, and means for adjusting said control means to different fluidcut-ofis regardby no more than the dfference between the effects of (twoconsecutive main control stages of said ing different units, theadmission volumes supplied by said fluid cutofis diflering from eachother

